Showing 1-29 of 29 items found in Events

Celebrate the local peach harvest, sponsored by the Cobden Lions Club. Join us for fresh peaches from local orchards, carnival rides and games, crowning of ‘Miss Peach Queen’, homemade food and peach cobbler & pie with a 5K run/walk and parade on Saturday. Free admission.

This fun Fall destination features mazes, inflatable games, face painting for the little ones, and hayrides. Grab a snack from the concession stand (try the sweet rock candy) before heading home with the perfect pumpkin. (open Oct. 1-30, 9am-6pm)

“Ciao” on delicious Italian food and delight in a grand parade. There will be midway rides and games, live music, a bocce tournament, a grape stomp, a pasta cook-off, a kids pet and bike parade, a road race and an art contest.

The Murphysboro Apple Festival is the oldest and largest, alcohol-free festival in Southern Illinois. Over 45,000 people attend the festival each year. During the five days of the Apple Festival, there are numerous activities drawing large crowds such as evening stage shows, carnival/concessions, Queen Contest, Prince and Princess Contest, contests from apple pie eating to apple core throwing, firefighters' water fights, marching band competition, car shows, Appletime 5K Walk/Run and much more. In addition, the festival's Grand Parade is one of the largest parade in Southern Illinois. The parade features an average of about 160 total units, 25 of those marching bands, and a variety of groups and organizations.

Thousands of motorcyclists travel to Bald Knob Mountain, Southern Illinois’ highest point and the site of the Bald Knob Cross of Peace located just outside of Alto Pass, about 10 miles south of Murphysboro on IL-127.

Visit downtown Makanda, Gateway to Giant City State Park, where
black vultures and turkey vultures fly and swoop in the skies each fall. This event is a celebration or the vulture's annual migration with live music and displays by local artists for purchase.

Celebrate the pepper harvest from 11am to 5pm, A favorite gathering for all chile heads and hot pepper fans. Walk the pepper field and see many varieties of hot peppers in bloom, meet the vendors and see who makes the best hot/spicy food, visit the Pepper Farm Store and select your favorite salsa, jellies, spices and pepper products, relax, visit with friends, enjoy great local music and soak in great southern Illinois pepper heat. 618-893-1443. www.darnhotpeppers.com

Start the day with the 5K run/walk race at 9 a.m. Watch the parade at 11am, enjoy corned beef & cabbage at the 17th Street Bar and Grill Warehouse. The Irish Kids’ Fest will feature arts and crafts, games and story telling at the Murphysboro Youth Center, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Grab a shillelagh and pour a green beer, or sample local craft beers while listening to the Irish music, and try your hand in the dart tournament or the Leprechaun Classic Bocce Tournament to be held at Riverside Park.

4th of July Celebration events includes: Freedom Run a 5K Run/Walk and Kids Fun Run; a Gospel Show; a Parade; Free Concert at the City Park and much more. Capping off the Freedom Fest is one of the largest fireworks display in Southern Illinois.

This Annual AKC Dog Show boasts many additional amenities. Sign up to bring your dog to the hearing clinic or get their nails trimmed while you wait. Over 100 breeds will try to make it to the Best In Show ring. There will also be vendors of dog treats, toys, beds, blankets and more.

The 26th Annual Southern Illinois Hunting and Fishing Days will be held at John A Logan College. It is the largest celebration of Hunting and Fishing Day in the country. This 200+ vendor show offers something for the whole family. Bass Fishing and Crappie seminars, catfish contest, Goose calling contests, Dock Dogs competitions, retriever demonstrations and a kids fishing hole are just a few of the activities throughout the weekend.

This Festival began in 1997 and continued to grow and expand with new events and excitement for participants of all ages. A Celtic cultural celebration with special concerts, fairs with music, dance workshops & demonstrations, Celtic arts & crafts, and merchandise, children’s activities. This year's Southern Illinois Irish Festival will be hosted by Walkers Bluff. This new venue provides a picturesque location just northwest of Carterville, Illinois.

What’s summer in Southern Illinois without festivities! Join Alto Vineyards in celebrating the summer with music, food and canine friends. Local art and wines; along with food and games, to support local animal shelters. From noon to 7pm

The Miss Illinois Scholarship Association is a duly-accredited state preliminary scholarship association in the Miss America Organization - the world’s largest provider of scholarship and cash assistance to young women. For four nights, the Marion Cultural and Civic Center will host preliminaries, Outstanding Teen and Pre-Teen pageants, and overall finals.

This 45th Annual event is one of the most significant southern Gospel singing events in the state of Illinois. Many quartets, duets, and even soloists showcase their talents each year over three days at the Marion Cultural and Civic Center. The Nehrkorns are the host trio for the 2014 year.

Marion proudly presents a parade to honor all Southern Illinois veterans. Over 17 bands will march & perform (awards to be given) plus floats and over 1000 veterans from all branches of service will ride or march. Entertainment and food at Fairgrounds. The annual Veterans on Parade is being held to honor all the men and women veterans throughout Southern Illinois, who have ever served our country in both war and peacetime. For more information contact Ed Davis at 618.993.3379 or email etdvita1@mchsi.com

Black Vultures and turkey vultures fly and swoop in the skies surrounding Makanda each fall. Local residents await their return each fall as an end to the hot summer and the beginning of cooler fall weather. This event is a celebration of the Vulture’s annual migration with live music and displays by local artists for purchase. Come join the celebration and see this awesome unique event as these birds return.

Crappie USA will hold one of the 2015 Super Tournaments on Lake of Egypt in Marion, IL. This will be a guaranteed payout of $10,000 and prizes. The tournament starts at 6:30am and will run until 3pm with a weigh-in at 4pm.

Anchoring the eastern end of the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail, Blue Sky offers a taste of Tuscany in the hills of Southern Illinois. Sample red & white wines, while enjoying live blues music. $6.00 Admission - Includes glass & sampling. A variety of hearty sandwiches, pizzas, and snacks, as well as wine-alternatives such as beer and mixed drinks are offered, while you enjoy large indoor seating area and two beautiful outdoor terraces that overlook the vineyard and rolling countryside.

They come from miles around and from out of state for the fish fry, for the barbeque, for dancing and fun at this annual event, which is held at 17th & Pine Streets. Thursday the Fish Fry buffet is at 5:30pm – 8pm, $16 at the door. DJ starts at 8pm. Fish Fry & Wing Contest awards at 9pm. On Friday, the Grand Champion Buffet is at 5:30pm – 8pm, $22 at the door, and Band & Street Dance 8pm-12 midnight. A new event for Friday evening is the People’s Choice BBQ & Sauce Contest judging from 5:30 to 8pm. Saturday the judging begins at 10am. KCBS Great American BBQ Tour demos throughout the day. All judges are MBN & KCBS certified. The Awards Ceremony is at 6pm. Sponsored by 17th Street Bar & Grill. For further information call, (618) 684-8902 and ask for Lisa or Becky or check out their web site for all information. http://www.17thstreetbarbecue.com

Detective skills- and a hearty appetite-will be necessary at Alto Vineyards as Upstage Productions presents, “Cleaver the Beaver”. Guests will enjoy an exciting murder mystery dinner with a professional cast to figure out the culprit in a lively whodunit mystery, all while enjoying a delectable three-course meal.